Effect of acupressure with wristband on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy

nausea and vomiting is one the most common problem during pregnancy. There are several reports about treating effect of acupressure for nausea and vomiting. Our propose was to investigate of p6 acupressure in reducing and relieving of symptoms of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. A single blind clinical trial has been conducted in order to examine the effect of P6 acupressure on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy in women referring to health center of Ardebil at 2005. 75 women complained of nausea and vomiting after being matched on the basis of the intensity of nausea and vomiting and pregnancy period were invited to participate in the study. Subjects were divided into three groups of treatment, placebo, and control (25 persons in each group), accidentally. Women in treatment group use acupressure wristbands with pressure to P6 acu-point, in placebo group use acupressure wristbands without pressure to P6 and control with no intervention. The symptoms were evaluated for 6 days and twice daily using a questionnaire inspired by Rhodes Inventory of Nausea and Vomiting. In the first 3 days all there groups equally filled the questionnaire and in the second 3days the treatment and placebo groups filled there out. Data of frequency, duration, and severity of nausea and frequency of vomiting were analyzed by Analysis of variance and Wilcoxon means were compared with Tukey and Kruskal-wallis tests. Analysis revealed that the participants in three groups didnt have significant differences in regard to age (treatment 24.3±3.9, placebo 24.9±4.3, control 25.4±3.3 year), gestational age (treatment 12.4±2.8, placebo 12.9±3.1, control 12.4±2.8 week) number of parity (treatment 1.7, placebo 1.6, control 1.4 times) education, job, number of pregnancy. The mean score of nausea severity decreased from 25.1±18.6 to 12.0±11.0 in treatment group, from 22.8±14.6 to 16.1±12.31 in placebo group but increased from 16.3 ±7.48to 17.5±8.92 in control group. The mean of vomiting frequency also decreased from 3.1±3.33 to 1.5±1.66 and from 3.1±4.30 to 1.9±3.68 in treatment and placebo group, respectively; but its value changed from 1.2±2.2 to 1.4±1.4 in control group. Differences between pre-treatment and treatment period of nausea and vomiting symptoms was not significant in treatment group than placebo groups (p<0.043) and it was more in the placebo compared to control group (p<0.009). Comparing of means in treatment and placebo groups showed significant difference in nausea frequency and severity but not significant differences in duration of nausea and frequency of vomiting. P6 acupressure wristband is effective in the treatment compared to control and placebo for reduction of severity, duration and frequency of nausea and frequency of vomiting. The wristband without pressure to P6 acu-point also is affected in reducing nausea and vomiting symptoms but its effect is lower than P6 wristband.